Osage Chief John Red Eagle says in a statement posted on the tribe's website that the tribe isn't opposed to alternative energy development. But he says the development of the wind farms could hurt future minerals development in the area.

Red Eagle also says the projects would "have an adverse impact upon the overall ecosystem of the Tallgrass Prairie."

Developers from two companies have proposed building the wind farms on large private ranches east of Pawhuska. The area is near the Nature Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Representatives from those companies didn't immediately return messages left Tuesday.